Colorado State University Athletics
Rams tennis completes play at Air Force Invitational
10/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Oct. 4, 2008
By Mackenzie Altman
Athletic Media Relations
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - - The Colorado State women's tennis team completed competition at the Air Force Invitational on Saturday. With two of their top players missing from the roster, and Lauren Strasburger and Caitlin Fluegge injured, the Rams asked their freshmen to step up their game under tough pressure.
"Everyone stepped it up this tournament, playing higher than normal in the brackets," said Head Coach Jon Messick. "I was real pleased with freshman Tori Arneson, who lost a real close match in three sets yesterday to Jendrian of Colorado, who went on to win the silver bracket. I was pleased as well with Lauren Mulhern, who beat a top Colorado player in the backdraw today.
"Overall the whole team progressed and everyone improved. From the tournament our team gained a higher level of respect."
In the singles Flight 3 backdraw, Mulhern fell to Michala Hedelund Jensen of Colorado, 6-2, 6-0, and went on to earn a victory against Christiane Pheil of Colorado, 6-4, 6-2. Kirsten Stople fell to Virginia Iwinski of Wyoming, 6-2, 7-6 (3).
In the backdraw of the singles Flight 1, Fluegge fell to Manuela Santos of Northern Colorado, 5-7, 6-4, 10-4.
In Flight 2 of the singles backdraw, Greer Satherlie earned a first-round bye and went on to defeat Katrina Eromin of Air Force, 5-7, 6-2, 10-8. She later fell to Bhavani Tirumurti of Denver in the semifinals, 6-3, 6-1. Arneson earned a victory against Carly Van Hollen of Wyoming, 2-6, 6-2, 11-9, and was defeated by Camila Belassi of Colorado, 6-4, 7-5.
In Flight 4, Katie Brown received a first-round and quarterfinal bye and fell to Carolina Chaix of Wyoming, 6-3, 6-4, in the semifinals. Rui Xu earned a victory against Hannah LaForest of Northern Colorado, 1-6, 6-2, 10-6, but later was defeated by Sarah Cassman of Air Force, 6-2, 6-0.
In Flight 5 of the singles Manar Al-Jazaaf defeated Madie Kern of Colorado, 6-2, 6-2. She took second in the overall bracket based on a pie decision.
In Flight 1 of the doubles backdraw, Strasburger and Fluegge fell to Rebecca Row and Ewa Szatkowska of Tulsa, 8-2. Arneson and partner Stople were defeated by Thalia Diaz-Barriga and Marta Marcinkowska of Tulsa, 8-3, and later fell to Christine Abayan and Samantha Sarkis, 8-6.
In the doubles Flight 2 backdraw, the team of Satherlie and Mulhern fell to Thalia Smoke and Allie Chermel of Air Force, score not reported , and went on to earn to a victory against Bhavani Tirumurti and Mikele Smith of Denver, 8-2.
Xu and Brown fell to Michala Hedelund Jensen (Colorado) and Caroline Beaulieu (Tulsa); 8-2.
The Rams return to the court Oct. 16-19 at the ITA Central Region Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Saturday's Results:
Singles:
Flight 1 backdraw:
Manuela Santos (Northern Colorado) def. Caitlin Fluegge (CSU); 5-7, 6-4, 10-4
Flight 2 backdraw:
Greer Satherlie (CSU); BYE
Greer Satherlie (CSU) def. Katrina Eromin (Air Force); 5-7, 6-2, 10-8
Bhavani Tirumurti (Denver) def. Greer Satherlie (CSU); 6-3, 6-1
Tori Arneson (CSU) def. Carly Van Hollen (Wyoming); 2-6, 6-2, 11-9
Camila Belassi (Colorado) def. Tori Arneson (CSU); 6-4, 7-5
Flight 3 backdraw:
Michala Hedelund Jensen (Colorado) def. Lauren Mulhern (CSU); 6-2, 6-0
Lauren Mulhern (CSU) def. Christiane Pheil (Colorado); 6-4, 6-2
Virginia Iwinski (Wyoming) def. Kirsten Stople (CSU); 6-2, 7-6 (3)
Flight 4 backdraw:
Katie Brown (CSU); BYE
Katie Brown (CSU); BYE
Carolina Chaix (Wyoming) def. Katie Brown (CSU); 6-3, 6-4
Rui Xu (CSU) def. Hannah LaForest (Northern Colorado); 1-6, 6-2, 10-6
Sarah Cassman (Air Force) def. Rui Xu (CSU); 6-2, 6-0
Flight 5 backdraw:
Manar Al-Jazaaf (CSU) def. Madie Kern (Colorado); 6-2, 6-2
Doubles:
Flight 1 backdraw:
Row/Szatkowska (Tulsa) def. Strasburger/Fluegge (CSU); 8-2
Barriga/Marcinkowska (Tulsa) def. Arneson/Stople (CSU); 8-3
Abayan/Sarkis (Air Force) def. Arneson/Stople (CSU); 8-6
Flight 2 backdraw:
Smoke/Chermel (Air Force) def. Satherlie/Mulhern (CSU); SNR
Satherlie/Mulhern (CSU) def. Tirumurti/Smith (Denver); 8-2
Jensen (CU)/Beaulieu (Tulsa) def. Xu/Brown (CSU); 8-2